The Partnership for Public Service reports that 27 Senate-confirmed officials have left President Trump’s second administration within its first 18 months, the highest such total in the 21st century. Departures affected 13 departments and included three Cabinet secretaries and several other senior officials. The group warns that slow nominations and prolonged vacancies can concentrate power in the presidency and weaken government capacity. The White House defended its record while noting the use of acting appointments.
Record Cabinet Turnover: 27 Senate-Confirmed Officials Leave Trump’s Second Term in 18 Months
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, left, and US Attorney General Pam Bondi listen to President Donald Trump, not pictured, as he signs an order in the Oval Office of the White House on September 15, 2025. Both Cabinet-level secretaries have since left their positions. - Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images/File
A new review by the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service finds that President Donald Trump's second administration has seen an unprecedented level of turnover among Senate-confirmed officials in its first 18 months. According to the group's analysis published Wednesday, 27 Senate-confirmed officials in Cabinet departments have departed — a departure rate higher than any other 21st-century presidency over the same span.
The departures span 13 federal departments and include three Cabinet secretaries: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. Other high-profile exits cited in the review include Secretary of the Navy John Phelan and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez.
The Partnership's review also found the administration has been slower to fill vacancies, sending fewer nominations to the Senate than it did during Mr. Trump’s first term. The analysis excludes departures and nomination activity for U.S. attorneys, U.S. marshals, and ambassadors.
"Turnover on this scale does not just thin the government's leadership ranks—it concentrates power in the president," Chris Piper of the Partnership for Public Service wrote in a blog post. "Left unaddressed, more of the government will be led by officials installed without the Senate's constitutionally required advice and consent, and it will be less able to do the work Americans depend on."
White House spokesperson Olivia Wales responded to the review in a statement to CNN: "President Trump has the most talented Cabinet in American history who work every day to implement his common sense, America First agenda. In just over one year, the President and his Cabinet have made our country greater than ever before with the most secure border in history, the largest middle-class tax cut ever, and the lowest murder rate since 1900. The President and his entire administration will continue to tirelessly implement the Trump agenda and achieve tremendous results for the American people."
While every president uses "acting" appointments to temporarily fill positions without immediate Senate confirmation, the review and earlier reporting note that Mr. Trump has relied on acting officials more frequently and more openly than many predecessors. During his first term, Mr. Trump defended that approach, saying: "Acting gives you much greater flexibility. A lot easier to do things."
The Partnership's findings raise concerns about institutional continuity and oversight as long-term vacancies concentrate authority and may limit the government's ability to carry out complex, sustained policy work.
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